Chicago

Grasscycling. The Easy Way to a Better Lawn

Imagine mowing your lawn in less time, with better results. Some would call that a dream, others call it grasscycling.

What is Grasscycling?

Grasscycling is just a fancy term for not removing grass clippings from the lawn. Yep, just leaving the clippings where they fall. Taking the bag off the mower is the only action required to go from mowing to grasscycling. Zero to hero.

Hero seem like a stretch? There are some seriously good reasons gardeners and governments alike have a crush on grasscycling.

Why Grasscycling Rocks

1. It's a timesaver. No mower bags to empty, no raking, less carried to the curb.

2. Grasscycling saves energy - lots of energy. The typical diesel garbage truck averages just a few miles per gallon, generally 2-3 MPG according to the Washington Post. Even in cities with electric or natural gas trucks in their fleets (we're looking at you Chicago, Philadelphia, and Burbank) schlepping grass clippings cross-county in 60,000 lb. trucks still requires a lot of energy.

3. Grass clippings are a natural fertilizer, returning vital nutrients like nitrogen to the soil as they decompose.

4. Grasscycling is an A1 excuse for trading up to one of these :

Besides looking fierce as all get-out, these classic mowers are inexpensive to maintain, easy on the ears, and don't require any fuel. Upgrading to a reel mower from a 2 or 4-stroke mower will also cut an astonishing amount of carbon monoxide out of your weekly gardening routine.

Edmonds once pitted a 411 horsepower truck against a couple of leaf blowers to compare their emissions. If you're not familiar with the report, hold onto your hat, the results are shocking.

Starting to think grasscycling could be your new bff?

How to Grasscycle Like a Boss

To ensure a healthy, happy, and mutually rewarding relationship with grasscycling, follow these tips.

Grasscycling Tips

• Remove the mower's bag.• Keep the blades super sharp!• Cut the grass higher than usual.• Cut it dry, before watering or before it rains.